Monday 26 December 2016

Yowe skinnie owlde Snatch-pastry*


  Hello! We hope you all had a lovely Yuletide, Christmas, Winterval, whatever?

  I'm just squeezing in a final "books read this year" post - one without a chair in sight, although, as you can see by the photo, it does have a Christmas theme even though none of the books are Christmas-related.
 I'm a little off the target of 60 books this year (to beat last year's 59), but it's quality not quantity that counts, right?

::

51. Strata, by Terry Pratchett (1981)

 The excavation showed the fossilized plesiosaur had been holding a placard which read. 'End Nuclear Testing Now'.
 That was nothing unusual.
 But then came a discovery which did intrigue Kin Arad.
 A flat earth was something new...


 Last read back in 2010, here


52. The Crimson Shadow (Star Trek: The Fall), by Una McCormack (2013)

 The U.S.S. Enterprise has been sent to Cardassia Prime, where Captain Jean-Luc Picard is involved in discussions over the removal of the small number of remaining Starfleet forces left over from the end of the Dominion War. Also present is the Cardassian Ambassador to the Federation, Elim Garak. All parties involved are keen to see Starfleet leave Cardassian soil, not only because the Cardassians are now allies of the Federation, but because Starfleet has been badly overstretched in recent years and the resources are needed elsewhere. With so much goodwill at the highest levels, this meeting should be a formality. However, within a few days of the arrival of the Enterprise, a Bajoran Federation officer is found murdered. The crime may be racially motivated: an ultra-nationalist organization called "Cardassia First" has been stirring up anti-Federation feeling across Cardassia over the past year, and a Bajoran is an obvious target…

 Last read back in 2013, but mentioned in 2014 here.


53. Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (1990)

 “Armageddon only happens once, you know. They don’t let you go around again until you get it right.”

 According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch – the world’s only totally reliable guide to the future, written in 1655, before she exploded – the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea…

 People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons – well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel – would quite like the Rapture not to happen.
And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…

 Last read back in 2014, here.

* Post title courtesy of Agnes Nutter, witch, from page 371


54. Bertie the Balloon at the Farm, by Kim Robinson and Aneta Neuman (2016)

 I wrapped up Bertie the Balloon at the Farm for Babyzilla before I took the photo up there, hence the no-show. Still, you can see plenty of Bertie-related stuff on his Facebook page.
 
::

  And that's it for books this year.
  We'll see you in a couple of days or so for our end of the year review (aka The Coven Awards)!*
  If we've finished it, that is...


* A thousand apologies, Dinahmow.


15 comments:

  1. "If we've finished it..." Dear Witchmother! God! Good Person down the road..please, please let's finish this year.JHC! It's been the worst one in my memory.And I lived through McCarthyism!
    And I will do my best to make the next year better. Might not have much time for reading then...
    Happy, no! make that VERY happy new year to you all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oops! That should read "for the end of the year review (aka 'The Coven Awards')!
      "If we've finished it, that is..."
      I'll just edit it so as not to cause any more horror at an unfinished year that will just recirculate ad infinitum...

      Delete
  2. I looove Good Omens!
    And dead chuffed that the word Winterval has entered your vocabulary, bab. At this rate you'll be calling pretentious people 'all kippers and curtains' and will understand the terrible fate implied in ending up round the back of Rackhams!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like "Winterval". It seems very fitting. "Bab" on the other hand... What is that? Some sort of hideous midlands expression or term of familiarity?
      I have vague recollections of reading about what happens round the back of Rackhams on your blog. Although, it all seems rather hazy now - perhaps I've blanked it out due to the terribleness?

      Delete
  3. Okay... I will read more next year. 2016 was an epic fail in most areas.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, who would have thought that 2016 would be worse than 2015. I hope this isn't the start of a trend?

      Delete
    2. And I mean in general - that wasn't aimed at you, dear Scarlet x

      Delete
  4. Your holiday tree looks awesome! The books in the tree make the tree even more festive and fun. But I say, my fave ornament has to be that cat peeking from behind the book.

    Strata sounds amusing, and I'm intrigued by The Crimson Shadow, because of the TNG and DS9 crossover. Happy last week of the year! And Cheers for a wonderful New Year full of good fortune, good people, and good fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. P.S. Forgot to add that I enjoyed reading Good Omens, too.

      Delete
    2. Oh, Eros, you say the nicest things, but that tree is ghastly! Some of the ornaments are OK (I quite like the cat one, too), but the tree itself is just a plastic horror. (My excuse is that it's Inexcuseable's, as I haven't put up a tree this year).

      Delete
  5. Clever idea for tree decorations, I must say.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy New Year to you and yours, IDV!!!


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Tickle my fancy, why don't you?